13 replies to this topic

[kudu]

Hi guys.
I have stripped and painted my k member and I've now got a couple of questions that I need a hand with.
First... I brought new Monroe shock absorbers for it.. Now these come with 3 washers, but the manual only shows 2?.. Now I've figured that the 3rd one goes between a rubber Bush and against the k frame. So my question is should it go below the top rubber bush or above the lower one??
The second question is I have done up all the steering arms etc to factory torque settings, but it seems very tight.. Is that normal?
Cheers.

[kudu]

Anyone????

 

Common sense tells me to loosen off the top and bottom nuts...even though they are done up to torque specs. As it is that tight that I struggle to turn the arms with the discs on.

Edited by kudu, 02 April 2022 - 08:14 AM.

[EunUCh]

I always thought they only used 2 washers , 1 on shock then rubber bush , then when pin of shock wen through shock tower rubber then washer then nut , the rubbers usually had a small raised section that "located" in the hole in shock tower ?

Not sure why steering is tight with no load but they are generally firmish with new ball joints , tie rod ends etc. but not to the point where 

it is a struggle to move , steering rack preload not too tight?

[Bruiser]

Could it be you have possibly tightened n/m specs using a ft/lb scale torque wrench?

[kudu]

I did double check that.. My torque wrench has a max of 80 ft pounds... Do I know that part was right. But it was bloody hard to even get the bus to get up to that torque it was that tight.
The steering rack was moving nice and freely before I connected it.

[claysummers]

Have you got the column connected and tried it at the steering wheel? It’s up to torque and nothing broke. Just initial tightness in the ball joints probably.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[kudu]

Have you got the column connected and tried it at the steering wheel? It’s up to torque and nothing broke. Just initial tightness in the ball joints probably.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I did wonder that.. But it just seemed overly tight. But I wondered if since its up on a stand that the ball joints just hadn't had a chance to get the grease work into them.

[Bruiser]

You could knock the tierod ends out again to see if the stiffness is the balljoints
or in the rack/column side
Balljoints only pull in as far as the taper allows, not really effected by how
tight the nuts are done up

[kudu]

You could knock the tierod ends out again to see if the stiffness is the balljoints
or in the rack/column side
Balljoints only pull in as far as the taper allows, not really effected by how
tight the nuts are done up

 

I did that and each ball joint is really stiff. So with all 4 being really stiff that would explain why its so hard to turn. So i imagine/hope that with use, it will free up as it allows the grease into them.

[RoyalPlum76SS]

Just out of interest, did you tighten everything up while up on the jack or stands etc? Or was it all tightened while on its wheels at full kerb weight..

[kudu]

Just out of interest, did you tighten everything up while up on the jack or stands etc? Or was it all tightened while on its wheels at full kerb weight..

I tightened the steering arms up while on the stands. I've left the main suspension bushes to tighten once under load... Its all still on the stand. Should I have left the steering arms loose until under load as well?

[RoyalPlum76SS]

Steering arms are fine, tighten them any time you like as there's no bushing on them.
Upper and lower control arms though (aka 'A' arms or wish bones to some) need to be done up at road height.
The bushings on control arms are designed for only minimal axial rotation at full torque spec, so if done up on full droop they can end up splitting apart when suspension goes through full range of motion whilst driving.
As it is now, while its up in the air I would just drop the tie rods and check each sides suspension range of motion individually up/down and stub axle turning left to right, to see if one side is worse than the other.
If all is well I'd just put it down to everything being new and tight.

[claysummers]

Better it is a little tight at first it is normal in my experience but I only know early Holdens not Torana.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[kudu]

Steering arms are fine, tighten them any time you like as there's no bushing on them.
Upper and lower control arms though (aka 'A' arms or wish bones to some) need to be done up at road height.
The bushings on control arms are designed for only minimal axial rotation at full torque spec, so if done up on full droop they can end up splitting apart when suspension goes through full range of motion whilst driving.
As it is now, while its up in the air I would just drop the tie rods and check each sides suspension range of motion individually up/down and stub axle turning left to right, to see if one side is worse than the other.
If all is well I'd just put it down to everything being new and tight.

Cheers. I have left the upper and lower arms loose until its in the car under load.
It must just be because its new and tight.

Edited by kudu, 02 April 2022 - 06:17 PM.